Hmm, my parents told me to fight back, and I did. I moved to the states when I was 11, and within 3 days this kid tried to bully me. He was trying to cut in line at lunch, which other kids let him do, but I refused to let him pass by me when he reached me. He started pushing me which I ignored. Finally after I got my lunch tray and he pushed me again, causing me almost drop my tray, I put the tray down, walked up to him, and pushed him back. He started to presumably cursing at me (I didn't understand a lick of English at the time), but every time he opened his mouth I pushed him again, and again. I pushed him into a pile of chairs, he got up, opened his mouth again and I pushed him back into it. The whole time he didn't dare to strike me, and I was good until I switched schools.
At the new school another kid tried to bully me, much bigger guy, a known bully. He took my umbrella out of my backpack and started passing it around to his friends, making me chase after one after another. When I got it back, I walked up to him and smacked him in the face with my umbrella. He tried to fight me, I kicked him hard in the belly and we circled each other a few times throwing a few punches which all missed before people broke us up. Again, no more bullying thereafter.
Parents here, don't tell your kids to turn the other cheek, don't be the "soft persimmon". Bullies are afraid of those who can fight back.